Yes, Neil E., your car is indeed very handsome...

I especially like how you treated the chrome "surrounds" to then grille. Are they painted, wrapped, or fif you use some sort of "plastification" over the chrome. but I'm leaning towards trying to pull together the later "spindle grill" adaptation. One concern is how to treat the front edge of the hood where the current SC 430 has one of those trim pieces. Did they fill it in with some sort of metal or body putty? can you leave that strip on, albeit painted, and not have it look too funky when it's butting up to the top of the spindle grille?

back to Neil's car - who made the front fenders with the louvers behind the wheels? approx. cost and your quality assessment?

I'm indeed keen to pursue the new grille approach. if anyone can find the picture of a white SC also with this mod pls post it and/or direct me to it as well. I'll keep all posted as to my progress on getting this organized. One can buy used front bumpers for both a 430 and an IS 250/350 for between $200-$300 each. I'm leaning towards buying those, putting them together, and not to cut into the original 430 cover "just in case" the end result doesn't meet expectations...

Also, can we put 10" wide tires on the std 18" wheels without and issues - brake calipers or fenders rubbing?

Thanks regards,

 

The front chrome and grill pieces can be prepped and painted, at least that's how I did it. A paint shop could also remove the chrome garnish from the bonnet/hood, fill the indent and repaint it to produce a flush line to the top of a spindle grill.

My kit came from Poland, it wasn't the best quality so needed some work to improve it. In the UK we have far less supplier choice. I wasn't too concerned about the fit and finish of the basic kit as I knew I was going to modify it, fit it and then hand it to a body-shop to finish and paint it.

If I understand the question correctly, no, putting 10" wide tyres on the standard 8" wide rims wouldn't be safe but after-market wider wheels, perhaps 19" x 10" rears can work with the correct offset. Mine are 19 x 9.5 with 275 35 19 tyres which is a common fitment. 285 30 19 on 10s would be perfect in my view but there is a lot of info on this site on the subject already and well worth reading. In the UK we envy the US wheel choice. .